Understanding
by Guardian of Hope
Summary: After a bad week for Elliot, Hardison and Parker bring in some help and some new rules are laid down. post-series, Elliot/Parker/Hardison first kiss Leverage Thing-A-Thon 2015


A/N: Written for the 2015 Leverage thing-a-thon, sort of. Sort of because this is the off-cuff, IT'S 2 Days Late type of thing. Sort of exploring some of my thoughts about Leverage International post-series. Sort of expands my backstory for Leverage in the Brotherhood 'verse. (They help out in 'The Only Thing That Stays The Same' and there's a sort of prequal to this called 'Degrees of Separation'.)

* * *

Elliot Spencer had always known he'd be killed in a fight. It wasn't a big thing, he would be overwhelmed, surrounded, or maybe too old and too stubborn to let a younger man take point. Here he was, overwhelmed, surrounded, and looking at his final moments.

Suddenly, his radio blipped, _"Spencer, it's Hardison. Don't speak. I've got the cameras. If you trust me, take down the guy about to jump your back."_

Elliot spun, using his momentum to kick his attacker in the sternum, feeling it give slightly, as if it had been cracked.

 _"Great, awesome. Now, to your left about fifteen paces, there's a fire escape. If you go up two floors and through that window you'll be fine."_

Elliot punched a guy and saw the fire escape. He ran for it, punching another guy as he broke out of the circle. He leaped, grabbed the fire escape and scrambled up the ladder. He hurried up the stairs to the second floor.

 _"That's the window,"_ Hardison said.

Elliot ducked through the partly opened window and turned to look over his shoulder. There was a shrieking groan as part of the fire escape broke away and fell onto his opponents. "That in the plan?" Elliot asked.

 _"No, but I'll take it. Look behind you."_ Elliot looked, and found Parker waiting for him.

"Parker?" Elliot said.

Parker pointed to the left, and Quinn waved.

 _"Quinn?"_ Elliot said.

"We were talking about expanding," Parker said, "This is Mister Quinn's audition."

 _"Hardison?"_ Elliot snapped.

 _"It's okay Elliot. Quinn's not going to work with us. This was kind of spur of the moment. We'll discuss it when you all get out of there."_ Hardison said. _"All right guys, we've got a few visitors about to come into your room. Quinn…"_

"On it," Quinn said.

The door slammed open and men began to stream in. The narrow door only allowed them to enter one at a time and Quinn was there before Elliot could pull himself together for the attack. _"Elliot, you have been stabbed, shot, and electrocuted this week. Let Quinn take the bad guys, Parker will get you out, and then we'll talk."_

Parker slid her arm through Elliot's, "Let's go."

Elliot glanced at Quinn, who waved, "Go, Spencer."

"Fine," Elliot grunted and let Parker lead him through a different door away from the room.

They took a flight of stairs out of the building, away from the alley where he'd been cornered to where Lucille 3 was waiting for them. Hardison was sitting in the driver's seat, drumming his thumbs. "We'll have to wait for Quinn," Parker said as she claimed the front seat.

"Want to explain?" Elliot demanded as he slid into the back.

"Not while we're all on comms," Hardison said.

Quinn raced out of the building and dove into the van. Elliot slammed the door shut, "Let's go."

They dropped Quinn off at a hotel and then drove back to the brewpub where Hardison reclaimed their comms. "I'm sure you're wondering what's going on," Hardison said as they walked into the office.

"No, really?" Elliot snarled.

"It's like this," Parker said, "We don't want you in the field without us."

"What are you talking about?" Elliot said.

"You've been helping Sadie and Cam with their team," Hardison said, "which was fine until this week. You didn't tell us you were going to be in the field with them and you got shot."

"Grazed," Elliot said.

"You also got stabbed in the butt," Parker said as she settled on the center table, swinging her feet.

"By a sewing needle," Elliot said.

"And you were electrocuted," Hardison said.

Elliot growled, "What does that have to do with Quinn?"

"He came looking for work," Hardison said. "As long as we don't force him to work with Chaos again."

"None of us will work with Chaos," Elliot said, "I'll kill him first."

"Agreed," Parker said.

"I'm sorry, did the middle of my sentence interrupt the beginning of yours?" Hardison snapped.

"Sorry," Elliot said.

"As I was saying, as long as Quinn doesn't have to work with Chaos, he's willing to help out. He liked working with _us_ during the Latimer fiasco, and it means you don't have to go out without us." Hardison said.

"Why is that so important to you?" Elliot said, "It's not like I haven't done field work before without you."

Parker glanced at Hardison and tilted her head towards Elliot.

Hardison nodded, "It's different now. Nate and Sophie are gone, Leverage is expanding. We all want our people to be good at what they do, to understand _why_ we do it. Parker and I just haven't been as proactive as you are because it worries me when she's out there without me. Even if it means I'm the one falling off a building."

"I don't want Hardison alone," Parker said, "they don't understand about pretzels and orange soda."

Elliot frowned at Parker, "And what does that have to do with me."

"Do it," Parker said. "Show him."

Hardison looked at Parker for a moment, then he sighed, "She's right, it's probably easier to just show you." He walked up to Elliot, who backed up until he hit the wall. Hardison put his hands on Elliot's shoulders and leaned in quickly to kiss him firmly. Then Hardison backed away, hands still half raised.

"What?" Elliot said, "Wait, what? Why? _Dammit_ Hardison."

"See," Hardison said, "Parker and I falling in love, it wasn't a surprise. Not really. But when Parker said she felt about both of us the same way, and I realized she was right. Then we realized we didn't like you in the field without us because I've never let you get electrocuted because of mistakes, although Tasers continue to be another story."

"Besides, _you_ won't let us into the field without you," Parker said, "I thought you might… feel like we do."

Elliot stared at the two of them, studying them. He'd been their bodyguard and protector, their shield against the horrible things that existed in the world. It was all he would ever allow himself to be for them, because he couldn't want more. The relationship between them was precious and fragile, like a butterfly. They didn't need a battered old soldier to damage that. It was a part of his mantra, and now, they were telling him something, offering to let him in, on _their_ terms. They might not understand the darker side of human nature the way he did, but they were strong. Elliot would have to trust that they knew how strong their relationship was before they added him.

"I-" Elliot stuttered, "I don't…" He swallowed and gave himself a mental shake as their faces began to fall. "I don't want this to affect us in the field," he said. "I need to know that when I tell you to run, or find an exit, or to _let me do my job_ you won't hesitate. If you think you can handle that."

"We can," Hardison said quickly. "We've been discussing this since Sophie and Nate left. Do you want it, us, I mean us?"

Elliot stared at them, "I do," he said softly.

Silence fell in the room for a long moment, then Parker squealed and jumped off the table, crashing into him for a hug and kissing his cheek. Elliot let himself smile a little as he glanced over at Hardison. "Does that mean we're hiring Quinn then?" Parker asked.

"Nobody goes out in the field with you two except me," Elliot growled.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Hardison said as he stepped forward and Elliot shifted Parker enough to pull Hardison in for another kiss.


End file.
